My father, Ray George Miller, was born on June 1, 1927, the fourth of four children born to George E. Miller and Bessie (Payton) Miller in Drumright, Creek County, Oklahoma. He was a remarkable man who led a remarkable life......and he left behind many who miss him on a daily basis. It is such a joy to have been his daughter.
He attended Tiger School in Drumright, then spent his last year of high school at El Dorado High School in El Dorado, Kansas, missing his graduation as he had left for the Great Lakes Naval Training Center in Michigan to fight in WWII in 1945. Several years later, he served his country by fighting in the Korean War from 1951 until 1953. Dad and several others were flown on reconnaisance missions over North Korea while under attack from AAA - anti-aircraft artillery - and came very close to being shot down several times. When he and his fellow sailors landed, they spent the next 3 months in an underground bunker behind enemy lines, doing amazing things in the service of their nation. He wrote some amazing notes about this time in his life and at Wonsan Harbor - it is incredible what our servicemen and women do in loving service of their nation! I salute you all!!
When he returned in 1953, he married Emma Williamson on May 30, 1953, in Grubbs, Arkansas. He spent the next 3 years attending the University of Arkansas and graduated from there in 1956 with a B.S. in Mathematics and Physics. He wanted to study and major in the subjects which were the hardest for him in school - and he did it superbly!!!
After graduation, Ray accepted a wonderful position with Northrup Aircraft in Los Angeles, California in 1956. That was the first time that Emma had been that far away from her family and it was a fascinating adventure which would last for the next 51 years. In 1957, their first child, Debbie, was born in southern California. Then in 1958, Ray accepted a wonderful position with Lockheed Missiles and Space Co., and found his home. The next year, 1959, son, Ross, was born. The family was then complete.
Ray was part of the engineering group at Lockheed which began the space race with Russia, and was an integral part of all of the Mercury, Gemini, Agena, and Apollo missions. Ray loved this type of work. He worked with and met many of the original astronauts and his family had the privilege of meeting them as well one evening at a forum at Foothill Jr. College near Palo Alto. During the time that Ray was involved in space exploration, he was co-director of the Locksley Observatory in the Santa Cruz Mountains just west of San Jose. We spent many Saturdays and some Sunday afternoons picnicking there, exploring, and hosting "star shows" with several hundred people attending and waiting in line to look through the telescopes at space phenomena. It was truly awesome!!!!
Later, Ray's career took him into some intriguing and fascinating work, which he really could not talk about. Let's just suffice it to say that he was one of many "unsung heroes" in our nation who worked covertly to protect us.
I am so very proud of the things he accomplished, of the life he led, and of the Gospel he lived everyday and taught us. Thanks so much, dad, for showing us how to be a man of integrity, a man of faith, a man of commitment to a wife and a marriage, and of being a world-class father and grandfather.......there is so much I wish I could thank you for again. Thank you for disciplining us when we needed it - and there were times when we definitely needed it - thank you for teaching us to use our minds for thinking and for seeking wisdom and common sense, and, most of all, for not ever being ashamed of the Gospel.
I will see you again someday. Your grandchildren miss you so very very much as well!!!
MOUNTAIN HOME — Ray George Miller of Mountain Home died Thursday, Aug. 30, 2007, at Mountain Home at the age of 80.
He is survived by his wife, Emma; daughter, Debbie Holth and husband Joel of Mountain Home; son, Ross Miller and wife Ilene of Dawsonville, Ga.; four grandchildren, Erik and Michael Holth of Mountain Home and Bryan and Matt Miller of Dawsonville; sister, Margaret Golden of Perry, Okla.; and several nieces and nephews.
A memorial service will be at 2 p.m. Saturday in East Side Baptist Church with the Rev. J.R. Cousins, the Rev. Jon Gilbert and the Rev. Ulysses Vandermolen officiating. Burial will be in Kirby's Tucker Memorial Cemetery Mausoleum.
Visitation will be from noon to 9 p.m. today (Friday, August 31, 2007) with family receiving friends from 6-8 tonight in Kirby and Family Funeral Home.
Memorials may be made to Hospice House, Leukemia-Lymphoma Society of America or The Korean War Memorial.
Arrangements are by Kirby and Family Funeral and Cremation Services. Visit an online obituary and guest book at www.kirbyandfamily.com.
He attended Tiger School in Drumright, then spent his last year of high school at El Dorado High School in El Dorado, Kansas, missing his graduation as he had left for the Great Lakes Naval Training Center in Michigan to fight in WWII in 1945. Several years later, he served his country by fighting in the Korean War from 1951 until 1953. Dad and several others were flown on reconnaisance missions over North Korea while under attack from AAA - anti-aircraft artillery - and came very close to being shot down several times. When he and his fellow sailors landed, they spent the next 3 months in an underground bunker behind enemy lines, doing amazing things in the service of their nation. He wrote some amazing notes about this time in his life and at Wonsan Harbor - it is incredible what our servicemen and women do in loving service of their nation! I salute you all!!
When he returned in 1953, he married Emma Williamson on May 30, 1953, in Grubbs, Arkansas. He spent the next 3 years attending the University of Arkansas and graduated from there in 1956 with a B.S. in Mathematics and Physics. He wanted to study and major in the subjects which were the hardest for him in school - and he did it superbly!!!
After graduation, Ray accepted a wonderful position with Northrup Aircraft in Los Angeles, California in 1956. That was the first time that Emma had been that far away from her family and it was a fascinating adventure which would last for the next 51 years. In 1957, their first child, Debbie, was born in southern California. Then in 1958, Ray accepted a wonderful position with Lockheed Missiles and Space Co., and found his home. The next year, 1959, son, Ross, was born. The family was then complete.
Ray was part of the engineering group at Lockheed which began the space race with Russia, and was an integral part of all of the Mercury, Gemini, Agena, and Apollo missions. Ray loved this type of work. He worked with and met many of the original astronauts and his family had the privilege of meeting them as well one evening at a forum at Foothill Jr. College near Palo Alto. During the time that Ray was involved in space exploration, he was co-director of the Locksley Observatory in the Santa Cruz Mountains just west of San Jose. We spent many Saturdays and some Sunday afternoons picnicking there, exploring, and hosting "star shows" with several hundred people attending and waiting in line to look through the telescopes at space phenomena. It was truly awesome!!!!
Later, Ray's career took him into some intriguing and fascinating work, which he really could not talk about. Let's just suffice it to say that he was one of many "unsung heroes" in our nation who worked covertly to protect us.
I am so very proud of the things he accomplished, of the life he led, and of the Gospel he lived everyday and taught us. Thanks so much, dad, for showing us how to be a man of integrity, a man of faith, a man of commitment to a wife and a marriage, and of being a world-class father and grandfather.......there is so much I wish I could thank you for again. Thank you for disciplining us when we needed it - and there were times when we definitely needed it - thank you for teaching us to use our minds for thinking and for seeking wisdom and common sense, and, most of all, for not ever being ashamed of the Gospel.
I will see you again someday. Your grandchildren miss you so very very much as well!!!
MOUNTAIN HOME — Ray George Miller of Mountain Home died Thursday, Aug. 30, 2007, at Mountain Home at the age of 80.
He is survived by his wife, Emma; daughter, Debbie Holth and husband Joel of Mountain Home; son, Ross Miller and wife Ilene of Dawsonville, Ga.; four grandchildren, Erik and Michael Holth of Mountain Home and Bryan and Matt Miller of Dawsonville; sister, Margaret Golden of Perry, Okla.; and several nieces and nephews.
A memorial service will be at 2 p.m. Saturday in East Side Baptist Church with the Rev. J.R. Cousins, the Rev. Jon Gilbert and the Rev. Ulysses Vandermolen officiating. Burial will be in Kirby's Tucker Memorial Cemetery Mausoleum.
Visitation will be from noon to 9 p.m. today (Friday, August 31, 2007) with family receiving friends from 6-8 tonight in Kirby and Family Funeral Home.
Memorials may be made to Hospice House, Leukemia-Lymphoma Society of America or The Korean War Memorial.
Arrangements are by Kirby and Family Funeral and Cremation Services. Visit an online obituary and guest book at www.kirbyandfamily.com.
My father, Ray George Miller, was born on June 1, 1927, the fourth of four children born to George E. Miller and Bessie (Payton) Miller in Drumright, Creek County, Oklahoma. He was a remarkable man who led a remarkable life......and he left behind many who miss him on a daily basis. It is such a joy to have been his daughter.
He attended Tiger School in Drumright, then spent his last year of high school at El Dorado High School in El Dorado, Kansas, missing his graduation as he had left for the Great Lakes Naval Training Center in Michigan to fight in WWII in 1945. Several years later, he served his country by fighting in the Korean War from 1951 until 1953. Dad and several others were flown on reconnaisance missions over North Korea while under attack from AAA - anti-aircraft artillery - and came very close to being shot down several times. When he and his fellow sailors landed, they spent the next 3 months in an underground bunker behind enemy lines, doing amazing things in the service of their nation. He wrote some amazing notes about this time in his life and at Wonsan Harbor - it is incredible what our servicemen and women do in loving service of their nation! I salute you all!!
When he returned in 1953, he married Emma Williamson on May 30, 1953, in Grubbs, Arkansas. He spent the next 3 years attending the University of Arkansas and graduated from there in 1956 with a B.S. in Mathematics and Physics. He wanted to study and major in the subjects which were the hardest for him in school - and he did it superbly!!!
After graduation, Ray accepted a wonderful position with Northrup Aircraft in Los Angeles, California in 1956. That was the first time that Emma had been that far away from her family and it was a fascinating adventure which would last for the next 51 years. In 1957, their first child, Debbie, was born in southern California. Then in 1958, Ray accepted a wonderful position with Lockheed Missiles and Space Co., and found his home. The next year, 1959, son, Ross, was born. The family was then complete.
Ray was part of the engineering group at Lockheed which began the space race with Russia, and was an integral part of all of the Mercury, Gemini, Agena, and Apollo missions. Ray loved this type of work. He worked with and met many of the original astronauts and his family had the privilege of meeting them as well one evening at a forum at Foothill Jr. College near Palo Alto. During the time that Ray was involved in space exploration, he was co-director of the Locksley Observatory in the Santa Cruz Mountains just west of San Jose. We spent many Saturdays and some Sunday afternoons picnicking there, exploring, and hosting "star shows" with several hundred people attending and waiting in line to look through the telescopes at space phenomena. It was truly awesome!!!!
Later, Ray's career took him into some intriguing and fascinating work, which he really could not talk about. Let's just suffice it to say that he was one of many "unsung heroes" in our nation who worked covertly to protect us.
I am so very proud of the things he accomplished, of the life he led, and of the Gospel he lived everyday and taught us. Thanks so much, dad, for showing us how to be a man of integrity, a man of faith, a man of commitment to a wife and a marriage, and of being a world-class father and grandfather.......there is so much I wish I could thank you for again. Thank you for disciplining us when we needed it - and there were times when we definitely needed it - thank you for teaching us to use our minds for thinking and for seeking wisdom and common sense, and, most of all, for not ever being ashamed of the Gospel.
I will see you again someday. Your grandchildren miss you so very very much as well!!!
MOUNTAIN HOME — Ray George Miller of Mountain Home died Thursday, Aug. 30, 2007, at Mountain Home at the age of 80.
He is survived by his wife, Emma; daughter, Debbie Holth and husband Joel of Mountain Home; son, Ross Miller and wife Ilene of Dawsonville, Ga.; four grandchildren, Erik and Michael Holth of Mountain Home and Bryan and Matt Miller of Dawsonville; sister, Margaret Golden of Perry, Okla.; and several nieces and nephews.
A memorial service will be at 2 p.m. Saturday in East Side Baptist Church with the Rev. J.R. Cousins, the Rev. Jon Gilbert and the Rev. Ulysses Vandermolen officiating. Burial will be in Kirby's Tucker Memorial Cemetery Mausoleum.
Visitation will be from noon to 9 p.m. today (Friday, August 31, 2007) with family receiving friends from 6-8 tonight in Kirby and Family Funeral Home.
Memorials may be made to Hospice House, Leukemia-Lymphoma Society of America or The Korean War Memorial.
Arrangements are by Kirby and Family Funeral and Cremation Services. Visit an online obituary and guest book at www.kirbyandfamily.com.
He attended Tiger School in Drumright, then spent his last year of high school at El Dorado High School in El Dorado, Kansas, missing his graduation as he had left for the Great Lakes Naval Training Center in Michigan to fight in WWII in 1945. Several years later, he served his country by fighting in the Korean War from 1951 until 1953. Dad and several others were flown on reconnaisance missions over North Korea while under attack from AAA - anti-aircraft artillery - and came very close to being shot down several times. When he and his fellow sailors landed, they spent the next 3 months in an underground bunker behind enemy lines, doing amazing things in the service of their nation. He wrote some amazing notes about this time in his life and at Wonsan Harbor - it is incredible what our servicemen and women do in loving service of their nation! I salute you all!!
When he returned in 1953, he married Emma Williamson on May 30, 1953, in Grubbs, Arkansas. He spent the next 3 years attending the University of Arkansas and graduated from there in 1956 with a B.S. in Mathematics and Physics. He wanted to study and major in the subjects which were the hardest for him in school - and he did it superbly!!!
After graduation, Ray accepted a wonderful position with Northrup Aircraft in Los Angeles, California in 1956. That was the first time that Emma had been that far away from her family and it was a fascinating adventure which would last for the next 51 years. In 1957, their first child, Debbie, was born in southern California. Then in 1958, Ray accepted a wonderful position with Lockheed Missiles and Space Co., and found his home. The next year, 1959, son, Ross, was born. The family was then complete.
Ray was part of the engineering group at Lockheed which began the space race with Russia, and was an integral part of all of the Mercury, Gemini, Agena, and Apollo missions. Ray loved this type of work. He worked with and met many of the original astronauts and his family had the privilege of meeting them as well one evening at a forum at Foothill Jr. College near Palo Alto. During the time that Ray was involved in space exploration, he was co-director of the Locksley Observatory in the Santa Cruz Mountains just west of San Jose. We spent many Saturdays and some Sunday afternoons picnicking there, exploring, and hosting "star shows" with several hundred people attending and waiting in line to look through the telescopes at space phenomena. It was truly awesome!!!!
Later, Ray's career took him into some intriguing and fascinating work, which he really could not talk about. Let's just suffice it to say that he was one of many "unsung heroes" in our nation who worked covertly to protect us.
I am so very proud of the things he accomplished, of the life he led, and of the Gospel he lived everyday and taught us. Thanks so much, dad, for showing us how to be a man of integrity, a man of faith, a man of commitment to a wife and a marriage, and of being a world-class father and grandfather.......there is so much I wish I could thank you for again. Thank you for disciplining us when we needed it - and there were times when we definitely needed it - thank you for teaching us to use our minds for thinking and for seeking wisdom and common sense, and, most of all, for not ever being ashamed of the Gospel.
I will see you again someday. Your grandchildren miss you so very very much as well!!!
MOUNTAIN HOME — Ray George Miller of Mountain Home died Thursday, Aug. 30, 2007, at Mountain Home at the age of 80.
He is survived by his wife, Emma; daughter, Debbie Holth and husband Joel of Mountain Home; son, Ross Miller and wife Ilene of Dawsonville, Ga.; four grandchildren, Erik and Michael Holth of Mountain Home and Bryan and Matt Miller of Dawsonville; sister, Margaret Golden of Perry, Okla.; and several nieces and nephews.
A memorial service will be at 2 p.m. Saturday in East Side Baptist Church with the Rev. J.R. Cousins, the Rev. Jon Gilbert and the Rev. Ulysses Vandermolen officiating. Burial will be in Kirby's Tucker Memorial Cemetery Mausoleum.
Visitation will be from noon to 9 p.m. today (Friday, August 31, 2007) with family receiving friends from 6-8 tonight in Kirby and Family Funeral Home.
Memorials may be made to Hospice House, Leukemia-Lymphoma Society of America or The Korean War Memorial.
Arrangements are by Kirby and Family Funeral and Cremation Services. Visit an online obituary and guest book at www.kirbyandfamily.com.
